Lighters are commonly carried and used for various purposes, including, among other things, smoking, lighting barbeques, and starting campfires. Liquid fuel lighters (such as a Zippo®) do not create a water tight seal when closed, which allows water to seep into and lighter fluid to leak out the lighter. In such instances, the lighter may become unusable if the lighting mechanism becomes wet or damaged. It is also possible for the lighting mechanism to corrode if exposed to moisture for a period of time. A lighter may also lose its lighter fluid to evaporation even when not in use due to the lack of a seal.
Lighters that are typically used outdoors generally include some type of wind guard to allow lighting in windy conditions. It is common for these lighters to be difficult and messy to service.